LOTD Blog Post #2

Its Tuesday again so that means today's LOTD is blog post!
  
Click here for Louise's post of the week! 


This week I am choosing this post from Leyla's Room.  This post was from January 2010 but I have only recently read it.  This post details information & pros and cons of avocados but it just reminds me to think about the foods I am eating generally! Especially after the last few weeks of holidays, hen dos and birthdays where it has been non stop eating and drinking for me!  Sadly I don't think this blog is being kept up anymore but you can find Leyla and her sister Mimi on YouTube and I love all their videos, Luxy Hair, for me I find their attitudes towards beauty, work and health & fitness inspiring!

Again I am looking forward to discovering more blogs this week via everyone's responses to Louise! x

My tan tips!

As we are now in holiday season I thought I would share a few of my tips on how to achieve an even tan and keep it from fading too quickly!

These tips are so simple but I really do find that they help!

• Exfoliate!  Before you go away it really helps to get rid of any dead skin you have, as this will help to stop your skin from looking too dry and also from getting too flaky and peely after you have been in the sun!  I tend to exfoliate a few times a week all year round and personally I like to rotate between a few products, first being an exfoliating scrub, at the moment I particularly like this Soap and Glory The Breakfast Scrub because it smells so good and lasts me ages!  Boots also have a 3 for 2 offer on at the moment so it is a good time to stock up!  I also like to use a body brush and it is a good idea to use this dry as well as wet in the shower.  I use one with a long handle to help me reach my back!  Finally I like to use an exfoliating mitt.  On the days when I am not concentrating on exfoliation I use a pouffe to rub in my shower gel which is also going to help out!  Another tip is to lightly exfoliate during your holiday, you may not want to as you feel like you are scrubbing away your tan, but it will help to remove any dry and dead skin and make you look more radiant! 
• Moisturise! Moisturise every chance you get, when you wake up, after showering, before getting changed etc etc!  It obviously is just going to help keep your skin from getting too dry and peeling or flaking away!  I am currently loving  vaseline cocoa butter oil gel which smells lovely and gives a nice sheen to the skin,
• SPF! Using the right SPF is so important.  I think a lot of people forget that sun cream helps to stop your skin from burning and not from tanning! So many people use an SPF that is too low and end up burnt anyway, leading to peeling skin and being uncomfortable for half the holiday!  Don't forget that if you get burnt you will damage your skin and whilst you may love your current tan, it will fade within weeks, yet your leather look skin will be around for years!  This article may help you choose an appropriate SPF for you.
• Move!  Walking round in the sun helps to achieve a more even looking tan because you don't have to remember to flip over or move your sunbed round to face the sun 3 times a day!  Also getting moving will help burn off the cocktails and chips, bonus!  
• Cheat!  When I get home I like to cheat a teeny tiny bit and after about a week I swap my normal moisturiser for one with a hint of self tanner in!  I use this only once a day just to prolong the tan for a bit longer and usually continue using it until the bottle is empty!  After that I get a spray tan for special occasions or if I just want to look a bit browner!  As I have all the kit for work I taught my Mum how to spray me!  My current favourite self tanning moisturiser is this Garnier Summer Body, which gives me a beautiful colour, it works quickly and smells great when you first put it on.  I have seen a few reviews where people have come out in a rash after use though so it is worth Googleing the product before you choose to buy it.

(Not my most flattering picture but I do have a weeny bit of a tan!)

What tips for a longer lasting tan do you have? x

Belated LOTD Video and Etsy

Okay, so I am now catching up on  the 2 posts that I missed over the weekend!
Firstly we have Saturdays LOTD, which was Video and I have chosen this one from YouTube by Dope2111.  This girl is A.MAZE.ING with make up and her videos are just brilliant to watch. I choose this one where she transforms herself into Jessica Rabbit because it is a really fun character but to be honest all the videos are fascinating to watch!  Click here to see Louise's pick.  
Sundays post was Etsy and I have chosen to share with you all this rosegold sideways cross necklace.  I love, love, love these sideways cross necklaces and have been searching for one for weeks now that I like, but a lot of them seem to have chains that are a bit too long, as I think they look best on a short chain.  I was looking for a gold toned one so I can wear it with some other gold jewelry that I have but I have stumbled upon this rose gold one and feel like I could be tempted to get it in this colour instead!



I think Louise's Etsy find is so adorable and if you have a daughter under 9 months old you definitely need to check it out!  http://sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/lotd-etsy-1.html

Have you found any nice sideways cross necklaces that I should check out before I make my purchase? xx

LOTD Clothes #2

For this weeks clothes LOTD I am actually going to pick something that I bought on Saturday because I heart them so very much! I found these wedges in River Island and love the light purple colour, the wedge and especially the gold panel on the back of the heel!  I hope the weather picks up soon as I am hoping to wear them all summer long!
Click here to see Louise's 2nd clothes LOTD!

Cardiff Fun!

I have been away for the weekend on a hen do in Cardiff, so i am behind on Louise's LOTD! I did intend to keep up with them in the mornings but really, who was I kidding!  I will add the 2 I have missed in belated posts soon!  I have a busy day today as it is my sisters 18th but hopefully will get some time later to catch up!

LOTD Quote/Fact

Louise has chosen a Fact or Quote for Friday's LOTD, please click here to see her original post!


I have also pinched mine from my Pinterest board.  The image shows a girl working out but actually the message can be applied to anything you want to do/achieve, not just fitness!  I think it is a good message to remember when you are feeling like something is out of your reach!

Here is a link to my pinterest if you would like a snoop :) 

As usual I am looking forward to seeing all the other entries today! x

GOSH Primer and cream blush

For as long as I can remember I have had a line running across my forward, even when I was a child, must have been a frowny baby!  As I am getting older the crease seems to be getting deeper, eek, so I was thrilled when I first discovered the polyfiller of the make up world, primers!

My current favourite is the GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer and I opted for the anti-wrinkle version, because who doesn't want extra help there!  I got mine in Superdrug and they are around £13/14.

They aren't lying when they say this has a velvet touch, it is so soft and well, velvety!  I apply this all over my face and put on an extra bit in my one forehead line and it definitely helps to smooth out the area, as well as around the eyes etc.  I then like to wait 5 minutes or so if I have time before I add my foundation.  This product includes Matrixyl 3000, a face firming peptide, in its ingredients, and the bottle say this helps boost collagen , even out skin tone and restore clarity. All sounds good to me! It is also unperfumed which I like because sometimes make up smells can be a bit bleugh!   Simply put I like this product a lot, I feel it makes my skin look nicer and it feels good too!

The second product that I love from GOSH is the Natural Touch Cream Blusher and the shade I use is 001 Peachy Rush.  I have been using this product for about 18 months and it has been a repeat purchase for me. I love the way it looks on naked skin if I am in a rush, or over BB cream for a dewy finish or over full foundation and powder, it works well over it all!  I love the colour, a deep peachy coral, which I feel suits my yellow toned skin really well! I also love the way it is very build-able, so you can go for a subtle look or a much more bold cheek!  I do play around a lot with different cheek colours but 99.9% of the time this one will be a base under any other, if I am not using it on its own.  This I also get from Superdrug and is about £7.  The pot lasts for ages and I think in all the time I have used it I have had to replace my only twice!

Which primer and blushers are your favourites? x